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10 Ways South Indian Weddings Are Different From North Indian Weddings
Expensive decorations, loud music, late-night parties, excellent cuisine, and ofcourse traditional clothes all represent a typical Indian wedding. This is what people perceive from Bollywood. But in reality, the marriage traditions and rituals differ according to the region, while the fundamentals remain intact throughout the country. If you are attending any South Indian wedding, you must know a few things before going to the celebration.
South Indian Wedding Vs North Indian
From the music to the ceremony, clothing and food, there have been a lot of distinctions between South Indian and North Indian marriages. You will experience a different kind of wedding with South Indian wedding culture.
Let us comprehend the differences between South Indian and North Indian weddings.
- Wedding Timing
The wedding time is one of the significant aspects that create the distinction between North and South Indian weddings. Especially, If you have a terrible sleeping pattern, it would be really difficult for you to attend any South Indian wedding. The wedding begins in the early morning and finishes at 10 a.m. In contradiction, the North Indian wedding begins in the evening and follows till the next day.
In an ideal scenario, the wedding can begin as early as 4:00 a.m. in the morning. So next time you get an invitation to a South Indian wedding, check the time on your wedding cards and set your alarms accordingly.
- Wedding Attire
In a South Indian wedding, the bride and groom typically wear traditional South Indian attire, such as a saree or a mundu (a type of sarong) for the bride and a dhoti or a mundu for the groom. The bride’s attire is usually a bright, colorful saree with gold or silver jewelry, while the groom wears a traditional South Indian shirt and dhoti. Both the bride and groom may also wear garlands made of flowers.
In a North Indian wedding, the bride and groom typically wear traditional North Indian attire, such as a lehenga or saree for the bride and a sherwani or a suit for the groom. The bride’s attire is usually a bright, colorful lehenga or saree with heavy gold or diamond jewelry, while the groom wears a traditional North Indian sherwani or a suit. Both the bride and groom may also wear garlands made of flowers.
Overall, the wedding attire in South Indian weddings is generally more traditional and colorful, while the attire in North Indian weddings is more formal and elegant.
- Food Menu
The diets of South and North India differ immensely. The North Indian food menu includes spicy curries, pooris, chapatis, sweet food and exotic drinks. Whereas the typical menu of any South Indian wedding is jalebi, uttapam, dosa, vada and different kinds of fruits. Besides, the usage of oil and spices is also different from that of North Indian cuisines.
Sometimes people ask whether the food of South India is better than North India or not? To answer this, both regions have distinct tastes and flavours. After all, people have their own perspectives to judge dishes. Hence some of them prefer South Indian cuisine, while others prefer North Indian cuisine.
Overall, the food served at South Indian weddings tends to be spicier and more rice-based, while the food served at North Indian weddings is more varied and includes a wider range of breads and curries.
- Length of Wedding
South Indian weddings can last up to 16 days. Each of these days has some rituals and themes. Also, the wedding can be long as per the reputation of the family.
Hence, it would be wrong to conclude that only not N orth Indian weddings have a long duration. If you want a destination wedding planner in Delhi, you may get in touch with Le Magnifique.
- Wedding Music
About Indian wedding culture, music is an important aspect. But the music of North India is quite different from South India. In North Indian weddings, the guests move their legs to loud party songs or Punjabi music. During the reception, a DJ or live band may play a mix of Bollywood hits and popular Western songs.
On the other hand, South Indian marriages strongly emphasize culture and tradition. This may include classical Indian instruments such as the veena, mridangam, and ghatam, as well as more modern instruments such as the guitar, drums, and Live bands. You will get to hear songs in Carnatic style or classical tunes.
- Eating with Hands
For the foodies out there, here is an important tip you must know before attending a South Indian wedding. North Indian weddings usually rely on a buffet system. The guests are free to take whatever they want on their platters.
But the South Indian wedding catering serves the guests on banana leaves. Eating with the hands is seen as a way to connect with the food and show respect to the person who prepared it. It is also believed that the heat from the hands helps to release the flavors and aromas of the food.
Overall, both South Indian and North Indian weddings typically involve some degree of eating with the hands, although it is more common in South Indian weddings.
- Folding Leaf
It might be a simple custom, but after enjoying your full-course meal at a South Indian wedding, you need to fold your Banana leaf in a certain way. As you fold the banana leaf, it symbolises and interprets the deep meaning of compliments.
Some cultures may differ in their interpretation, but a majority of the South Indian culture suggests the guest fold the upper portion of the leaf over the lower portion. It signifies that the person enjoyed the meal. However, doing it in another way would be construed as a complaint.
- Makeup
Another key difference between North Indian and South Indian weddings is the way a bride and the groom dress up.
In any North Indian wedding, the bride’s makeup is typically more subtle and elegant, with a focus on the skin. The bride may wear a traditional North Indian lehenga or saree and heavy gold or diamond jewelry, and her makeup will often feature a natural, glowing complexion with muted eye makeup and neutral lip color. The bride may also have her hands and feet decorated with henna.
Whereas the South Indian wedding bride is sober. The bride’s makeup is typically bold and colorful, with a focus on the eyes. The bride may wear a traditional South Indian sare , jewelry and her makeup will often feature bright eye shadow, thick eyeliner, and bold lipstick.
- Wedding Vibes
A wedding is a joyful event. With the best wedding planners in Jaipur, you may have a joyful wedding atmosphere. But South Indian weddings exude an atmosphere. For the music, they choose Carnatic and classical music. Also, the rituals are given priority while the couple becomes the centre of attraction.
Generally, South Indian weddings are more traditional and cultural, but North Indian weddings are more formal and exquisite.
- Fun and Games
South Indian weddings are sombre as compared to North Indian weddings. Most of the South Indian ratings or arranged marriages. Several pre-wedding events in South Indian weddings involve games, played between the bride and groom. Most of these games are fun and silly, and with these games, they start becoming comfortable with each other.
In conclusion
A wedding is a lovely event that celebrates the union of two hearts with a promise of togetherness. Whether a South Indian wedding or a north Indian one, you can double the fun and cut down the stress of wedding planning with Le Magnifique Events. The expert professionals possessing the necessary skills and knowledge makes every wedding event a success. So why not make an effort to enjoy each second of the day!
